Her eyes shoot up to the ceiling. “‘Let’s Stay Together’” She sings the words to the title of the song out loud, but it doesn’t seem to register. “Wait.” She frowns. “‘Let’s Stay Together’”This time recognition shines bright in her eyes. A huge smile stretches her lips.
By George, I think she’s got it.
I take a seat next to her and hand her the envelope.
“What’s that?”
“Open it and you’ll find out.”
She does.
She scans the contract.
Surprised eyes snap up to mine.
“Phoenix…” My name comes out in a whisper. “Oh my God.” With her mouth gaping, her gaze bounces from mine to the papers she’s holding. “Is this for real?”
“It is.” I nod.
“I don’t understand. When we discussed this arrangement, I thought it was two hundred million dollars in exchange for me becoming your wife for a whole year, at which point the Villiers Grand would become ours again. It’s only been six months. Are you renegotiating the terms?”
“You could say that. I don’t want anything between us.”
She furrows her eyebrows. “What do you mean?”
I point to the ceiling. “The song selection isn’t by accident, kitten. That’s hours searching for the right one that says everything I feel here.” I tap my heart.
“Oh.”
“If you notice on the last page, there are blank spaces in front of and after your first name.”
She flips the pages. “Why is that?”
I run my hands through her hair and grip her by the back of the neck. “I want you well past the one-year mark, Michaela.”
“Oh.”
“I want you to want me—just for me, as much I want you—just for you. I don’t want to hold anything over your head, and I don’t want you to think I have any leverage over you. That’s why I’m handing over control of the hotel back to you. The Villiers Grand is debt free and the new management we have in place will remain, regardless of your decision…”
“My decision?”
“Yes.” I run my thumb over her lips. “You can let me know if you want to continue our journey together by telling me which name goes on the contract. Miss Michaela Knight Villiers or Mrs. Michaela König Knight Villiers?”
A heartbeat of silence pounds between us.
She shakes her head, and smiles. “Had you not prefaced your declaration with that little musical flash from the past, I might have been inclined to think you were serving me with divorce papers,” she says. “After all, you got what you wanted. You’re CEO?—”
“That’s not all I want, Michaela. I want you, too. I want you in my life forever.”
She responds with a huge smile. “To answer your question, Mrs. Michaela König Knight Villiers goes on the contract.” There’s not a shred of hesitation in her answer.
“We’re staying together, kitten?”
She tosses the contract over her shoulder before grabbing a fistful of my t-shirt and pulling me to her. “Damn right we are, König.”
“My wife.” I smile wide. “Fuck, I love you, kitten.”
“I love you so much.”
